About
Capsicum annuum is the wild ancestor of numerous cultivated sweet peppers and chili varieties. It exhibits a diverse array of fruit shapes, colors, sizes, and levels of capsaicin, which determines the heat intensity. The plant features green foliage and typically produces white flowers, though some may have a hint of purple. Although it is a woody perennial, it is predominantly cultivated as an annual in the UK due to challenges in surviving the colder months.
About the genus
Capsicum comprises both annual and perennial species characterized by simple, alternate foliage and flowers that are either tubular or bell-shaped. These plants are cultivated primarily for their glossy, multi-seeded fruits, which include varieties such as chili and bell peppers. Additionally, they serve as popular choices for indoor ornamental displays.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil type
- Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Neutral, Acid
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained
- Aspect
- South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H1C
Plant details
- Plant type
- Fruit Edible, Annual Biennial
- Habit
- Columnar upright, Spreading branched
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 0.5-1 metres
- Spread
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 1 year
- Suggested uses
- Patio and container plants
- Native to
- S USA to Brazil, Caribbean
- Toxicity
- Humans/Pets: Irritant if eaten, skin/eye irritant. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow in pots of fertile peat-free compost under glass or on a sheltered sunny patio. Alternatively grow in good garden soil in a polytunnel. See pepper cultivation
- Pruning
- Pinch out the growing tip of shoots to encourage a bushier plant. Keep picking fruit to encourage further flowering
- Propagation
- Propagate by seed. See sowing vegetable seeds or sowing seeds indoors for further advice
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite, glasshouse whitefly and aphids
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to grey moulds